A DATE WITH A STRANGER | ...LOOKS CAN BE MISLEADING

He must have looked out that window a dozen times since I observed him about five minutes ago. He was obviously expecting someone important. Almost every time someone walked in, he seemed a little nervous until he realized it was just another customer. He would then resume tapping his feet and bobbing his head to whatever music it was that he was listening to. A short while afterwards, a young lady walked in and he smiled like a little boy as he took off his headphones and hood to wave at her. She spotted him, smiled and walked towards his table that wasn't too far from mine. 

I was surprised when he shook her with both hands instead of hugging her and I thought to myself “who greets a girlfriend like that?”. Well, they got talking and I wasn’t paying much attention until I heard him say “congratulations again on your 40th birthday ma”. I’m sure my ears literally stood up on hearing those words and I caught myself just in time before putting down the paper I was reading to look again at the person he was referring to. I couldn’t help it though, I eventually stole a glance and was amazed that someone her age could look that young and agile.

From that moment on, I couldn’t help eavesdropping on their conversation and gathered that he was a relative that had been asked by his mother to see his aunty about getting a good job in Abuja after his youth service. She was rather influential in the media industry and chances were high for him to get a good placement if she made some contacts on his behalf. After making passing remarks about the need to exercise a lot, eat right and take lots of water, she then appeared to drive the conversation in a different direction when she asked him why he wasn’t doing something major with his talents. He replied like most people would “Aunty K, I don’t have enough money to start” to which she answered “do you remember your Sunday School stories?”. I guessed he was as surprised as I was when he retorted “Sunday School?”. As though expecting him to be surprised, she smiled and continued saying “Yes. Sunday School and in particular, Joseph's story and that of the widow and the prophet”. They sounded unrelated until she started speaking and drew out principles from both stories.

“Like Joseph did in Egypt” she said, “you need to learn to keep aside at least one-fifth of your income monthly so as to raise the funds to finance your dream. While you’re working in an organization, you’re paid to help the company make the money you’re paid. You need to pay yourself first dear; that way, even if you needed further assistance, you’ll have something on the table. Everyone has something to work with. I observed he was listening to know where the conversation was headed; that made three of us - me, him and me again. She continued saying, Like the prophet asked the widow, ‘what do you have?’, there are four places you should look to answer that question; your head – what ideas do you have? Your heart – what are your passions? Your hands – what skills do you already possess? and your home – what resources do you already have? Savings from your salary could fall under the last category.”

I didn’t quite make out the rest of what she said immediately afterwards because my phone rang and I had to go outside to join my friend who had asked me to wait for him at the eatery so we could go check out a property together. As we rode along, he observed I was making a note of some of the things I had just heard. He was curious and we discussed some of them. He was impressed and asked “who was she anyway?” I answered saying “a stranger I wish I met decades ago before I started working for anyone.

Adebayo Martins | #iMuse | TUE.18.07.2017

(Head, Heart, Hands and Home analogy heard from a message preached several years ago by Reverend Sam Oye)

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